The Power of Love
by Sarah Maxime
Summary: Eleniel, an elf-maiden, joins Frodo on his way to Bree and becomes the Tenth Walker. But, what is her connection to Legolas and Aragorn? Why does she have sadness in her eyes? And why do the forces of evil seem to target her? Tenth-walker, Legomance, non-Mary Sue, mostly Movieverse with some Book add-ins. No flames, please, they only flame my temper.
1. Part One and Introductory Author's Note

Part One of the Journey

The Equivalent of _The Fellowship of the Ring_

Author's Note: If, at any time, Legolas Thranduilion, Prince of Mirkwood, seems OOC, it's because in the books and movies, he A) is not in love with anyone (or not that we know of) and B) is not traveling with his love. So please, don't send me a message saying, "Legolas doesn't act like that! Fix it!" In all honesty, I'll probably just reply, "Well, he's in love! And his love is in danger constantly 'cause she's traveling with him!" Just wanted to make sure everyone knows that.

Second, in response to Lord Elrond's review: this is called fan fiction for a reason. I mean, there aren't vampires or solar-blessed people in Tolkien, either (I don't know of either, anyway. Also, no offense to the authors and fans of those stories), but I've seen both on here. So, if you don't like Tenth Walker stories, don't read this, and please don't send me pointless reviews.

Third, my story includes quite a lot of Elvish, due to the fact that Legolas and my main character are both elves. There are translations for everything in the story, but at the end of the story, I'll include a glossary, as well as a few grammar rules. If you don't like a whole lot of Elvish, you might not want to read this. Also, there isn't the elvish from the movie. All of that has been retranslated into the Elvish I'm using, as I don't know what kind of Elvish they use in the movies.

Fourth, to my old readers, I found our copy of Lord of the Rings and the movies and stuff, so it's been edited. A lot. Not to mention the fact that I had a great idea for background, so some things have been added to hint at that. I may actually turn the background into its own story when I'm done with The Power of Love, but I'm not sure. Finally, I've just read _The Silmarillion,_ so the Elvish has been edited to be more accurate according to Tolkien's works.

Thank you for your patience! Now on to the story!


	2. Chapter 1: The Beginning

Place: A day's walk east from the borders of the Shire, halfway to Bree

* * *

She had a small, slender build. Her waist-length golden hair gleamed faintly in its braid, and her startlingly blue eyes were half-closed as she sat, leaning against a tree next to the road. She wore a long forest green tunic over a light brown shirt with a high collar and darker brown pants, as well as brown boots and a ring that appeared to be carved from an antler. She carried two knives on her belt, and a medium-sized pack was next to her, as well as a quiver of arrows and a bow. The only sign that she wasn't a typical traveler like the Men along the road were the points of her ears. She was an elf-maiden.

A group of four, very small humans—or creatures that looked like humans—with large, hairy feet appeared appeared over a nearby hill. The elf-maiden's eyes opened, and she gazed towards them. She stood up as they passed the tree.

"Frodo?" She called. A black-haired boy with blue eyes in the group jerked his head around, and they all stopped, looking at her.

"How do you know my name?" He asked warily. The elf-maiden smiled.

"Gandalf the Grey asked me to meet you. He's a friend of mine," she replied. Passersby on the road twitched or stumbled at "Gandalf the Grey" and hurried past the spot.

The four boys appeared unconvinced by the her claim of friendship with the wizard. "And how are we supposed to know you're telling the truth?" A stout, sandy-haired boy next to Frodo asked.

The elf-maiden knelt next to Frodo and whispered something in his ear. His eyes widened as his hand went to something around his neck, and he told his companions, "She's telling the truth." The group stepped off the road and sat beneath the tree with the lady.

"My name is Eleniel," she told them, "and I know Frodo's name, but I don't know your names," she looked at the other three, "or even what you call yourselves. We elves know your kind as Halflings."

"We call ourselves hobbits," Frodo informed her, "and this is Samwise Gamgee," he pointed to the sandy-haired boy, "Peregrin Took, known as Pippin," he pointed to a smaller boy with brownish-blond hair, "and Meriadoc Brandybuck, known as Merry," he pointed to the last boy, who had blond hair slightly lighter than Pippin's.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," she said. The hobbits grinned and bowed. "Now," she said, standing, "as much as I'd love to stay here for a while, we should go. It's not safe to stay in one place too long these days."

"Why not?" Pippin asked. Eleniel shot him a glance.

"There are...beings, for lack of a better word, that would quickly find you, and they are not merciful creatures," she said grimly. "Come."

As the five of them walked, she asked Frodo, "You are headed for Bree, are you not?"

"Yes. Gandalf said he would meet us there," the hobbit answered. Eleniel's brow furrowed.

"I hope he does," she said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Frodo asked, a note of nervousness in his voice.

"I have heard no news from him as of late, though he told me he would send word after he met with the leader of his order," she answered. "I fear he has been...delayed, or worse."

"Not dead?" Frodo's voice quavered. Eleniel smiled at him.

"No, but captured, possibly. Don't worry. Gandalf is old and wise, and he has friends among the animals. Even captured, he can ask help from them."

The odd group walked on into the night. Rain was falling by the time they reached the gates of Bree. Entering the Prancing Pony inn, where the hobbits said Gandalf had promised to meet them, they saw no sign of the wizard. They sat down at a table and began to eat.

"Eleniel, that man keeps looking at us," Frodo hissed after a while. Pippin and Merry were laughing and talking with some men as they drank pints of ale, and Sam was busy eating opposite Frodo. Eleniel looked around at the hobbit's words until she spotted a man in a dark corner, his eyes gleaming from under a hood in their direction. Her brow furrowed, and she looked harder; even her elf sight was not enough to pierce the darkness of the corner, though. A suspicion as to who the stranger was formed in her mind, and she began to get up.

Then she heard the words "Frodo Baggins" coming from Pippin. She turned to see Frodo rushing towards the drunk hobbit, who said, "Steady on, Frodo," and accidentally pushed the other hobbit. Frodo tripped over someone's foot, and a golden circle flew up in the air.

Eleniel's eyes widened. _The Ring!_

Frodo reached up to try to catch it, but instead of grasping it, it landed on his finger, and he disappeared.

There was a gasp at the same time that Eleniel's keen hearing heard the distant cries of the Black Riders sensing the use of the Ring. Her old wound flared painfully, but she fought it away.

The dark stranger from the corner grabbed Frodo as he reappeared, telling him, "You draw far too much attention to yourself, Mr. 'Underhill'," and he dragged the hobbit into a room. Eleniel hurried after them.

She listened carefully after reaching the hall where the guest quarters were. She heard the voice of Frodo asking, "What do you want?"

The stranger's familiar voice replied, "A little more caution from you. That is no trinket you carry."

As Eleniel listened outside the first door in the hall, Frodo said, "I carry nothing."

"Indeed." There was a moment of silence before the man continued, "I can avoid being seen if I want. But to disappear entirely…that is a rare gift."

"Who are you?"

"Are you frightened?" came the reply.

"Yes." There was a slight question in Frodo's voice. He was obviously wondering why the man ignored his query.

"Not nearly frightened enough. I know what hunts you."

Both man and hobbit looked up when she opened the door. Closing it behind her, she said, "Hello, Aragorn."

"Not here!" he hissed. "You know that!" Frodo stared at them.

"You—you know each other?" he choked out.

"Yes. We're good friends," she responded. "_Strider_, we have a problem now, and we need to figure out a solution."

Aragorn nodded grimly. Then he whirled around, drawing his sword, as Sam, Pippin, and Merry burst in, brandishing fists, a candelabra, and a stool. Sam cried, "Let him go or I'll have you, Longshanks!"

Eleniel eyed the threesome with amusement while the man sighed and straightened from his fighting stance. "You have a stout heart, little hobbit," he said, sheathing his blade, "but that will not save you." The would-be rescuers didn't move, but confusion had replaced anger.

"Relax, you three," Eleniel said with a smile. "This is Strider. He's a friend of Gandalf and me. Now shut the door and sit down." They did so, and Merry and Pippin set down their makeshift weapons. Aragorn turned to the fourth hobbit.

"You can no longer wait for the wizard, Frodo. They're coming."

There was a moment of silence. Then Sam said suddenly, "I have an idea."

They all looked at him, and Aragorn said, "Let's hear it."


	3. Chapter 2: Morgul Blades

Place: Weathertop Hill

* * *

Eleniel stood next to Aragorn, staring out through the night.

"_Eleniel...sut naa lle umien?"_ He asked. (Eleniel...how are you doing?)

"_Amin n'rangwa,"_ she responded. (I don't understand.)

"_Lle sinta,"_ he said evenly. (You know.)

The elf-lady sighed, gazing sadly into the darkness. _"Cormamin nalla tén ho."_ (My heart cries for him.) Tears began to streak her cheeks. _"Amin naa melthel ben ho." _(I am miserable without him.)

Aragorn sighed as he hugged her. _"Uuma dela, mellonamin. Cormealle naa er. Ron nauva yassen ámaelle er re."_ (Don't worry, my friend. Your hearts are one. You will be with your beloved one day.)

Several minutes passed. Finally, Eleniel's tears slowed, and she whispered, _"Diola lle."_ (Thank you.)

"_Lle creoso."_ (You're welcome.) Suddenly, Aragorn stiffened.

"_Mani naa ta?"_ Eleniel asked. (What is it?)

"_Lostole periannath! Naur!"_ (Empty-headed hobbits! Fire!)

Eleniel turned. Above them, where the hobbits were, the glow of a fire was unmistakable. Then they heard voices above—Frodo's in particular—and the fire went out.

"_Frodo n'naa lostole," _Aragorn muttered. (Frodo is not empty-headed.)

Eleniel's old injury began to ache badly, and she scanned their surroundings, knowing what the ache meant. _"Aiya, lau. En!"_ (Oh, no. Look!)

Black Riders were headed for the hobbits.

* * *

Retrieving their weapons, Eleniel and Aragorn hurried up the hill. Eleniel fought against the pain mid-torso. _As if facing them weren't bad enough, that cursed wound has to make it harder_. Reaching the top, they arrived to a heart-stopping cry.

Frodo was on the ground by the wall on the other side of the hill. The Leader of the Black Riders was in front of him, grasping a long knife that was deep in the hobbit's shoulder.

"Frodo!" Eleniel cried as Aragorn leapt towards their fallen companion, driving away the Black Riders. She raced toward the hobbit, shoving her knives in her belt.

Aragorn swung his torch at a Black Rider, lighting it on fire. Then a scream rose through the night. Looking around, he saw a Black Rider aiming a knife at Eleniel's unprotected right side, the elf-maiden just a foot away from Frodo. As it ripped through her flesh, leaving a heavily bleeding wound from slightly below her shoulder down to just above her hip, she cried out in agony, then fell to the ground. _Of course. She never learns,_ was Aragorn's cynical thought that kept away his fear for her as he desperately tried to drive off the enemies.

Finally, chasing off the last foe with a well-aimed throw of the torch to its head, he heard Sam call, "Strider!" and the man went to his fallen companions. "Help them, Strider," Sam begged.

Taking a look at the knives that had wounded Eleniel and Frodo, Aragorn scowled and dropped the hilts as the blades dissolved. _It'll be bad enough for the Ringbearer; I can only hope he's strong enough to last. But how will a second injury from those blades affect Eleniel?_

"They've been injured by Morgul blades," he told the hobbits. "This is beyond my skill to heal. They need Elvish medicine." He picked up Eleniel. "Sam, can you carry Frodo?" The hobbit nodded, fear in his eyes. "Merry, Pippin, carry Sam and Frodo's loads. Sam will not be able to carry Frodo and his pack all the way to Rivendell," he added before the two could protest. "Hurry!"

* * *

Aragorn carefully laid Eleniel down on the soft, mossy forest floor. Sam set Frodo next to her. As the sandy-haired hobbit knelt next to his master, he touched Frodo's forehead, asking, "Mr. Frodo?" He looked up. "He's goin' cold." Checking Eleniel, he added, "And so is she."

Aragorn, looking out at the night, didn't respond, and Pippin asked, "Are they going to die?" The man turned around.

"They're passing into the shadow world. They'll soon become wraiths like the Black Riders," he replied.

Frodo gave a strangled gasp, and Eleniel twitched as the screeches of the Black Riders made the four uninjured travelers look up.

"They're close," Merry muttered.

"Sam," Aragorn said, going towards the hobbit, who got up and met him halfway, "do you know the athelas plant?"

"Athelas?" Sam said, forehead wrinkled.

"Kingsfoil," he clarified.

"Kingsfoil, aye, it's a weed," Sam replied.

"It may help to slow the poison. Hurry," the man said, handing Sam his torch and getting another one. They both hurried off in search of the plant.

Aragorn, spotting his quarry, knelt at a patch of kingsfoil and began to cut off a chunk, but a sword tip at the side of his throat stopped him.

"What's this? A Ranger, caught off his guard?" A female voice said. Aragorn carefully turned his head to look at the newcomer.

* * *

Arwen rode into the clearing. Dismounting, she walked towards Frodo and Eleniel and knelt next to them. She said to them, _"Frodo. Eleniel._ _Amin naa Arwen. Amin tula tuo lle. Teno oomamin; tulo n'alaquel á í méa."_ (Frodo. Eleniel. I am Arwen. I've come to help you. Hear my voice; come back to the light.)

Frodo relaxed slightly, and Eleniel murmured something unintelligible. Aragorn noticed a tear tracing its way down her face. _This is reminding her of when she first met him,_ he realized.

Merry whispered, "Who is she?" as he looked at the elf-maiden kneeling next to his stricken companions.

"Frodo, Eleniel," she whispered as she bent over them. Aragorn, next to her, began chewing the athelas into a paste.

"She's an elf," Sam said reverentially.

"He's fading," she murmured. "They both are. They are not going to last." She uncovered the wound on Frodo's shoulder, and Aragorn applied athelas to it. Frodo's breathing jumped, sounding slightly strangled, as the athelas touched the injury.

"We must get him to my father," Arwen continued, picking up Frodo as the Ranger moved to Eleniel. "I've been looking for you for two days."

Merry asked, "Where are you taking him? And what about Eleniel?"

Arwen didn't respond, instead telling Aragorn over her shoulder, "There are five Wraiths behind you. Where the other four are, I do not know." She sat Frodo on her horse, and the man came over.

"_Dartho yassen í periannath. Amin tolthava rochea tén lle," _Aragorn told the elf maiden. (Stay with the Hobbits. I will send horses for you."

"_Amin naa í lintanrochben. Amin sanava ho,"_ she replied. (I'm the faster rider. I'll take him.)

"_Í __mallé naa kosta,"_ Aragorn stubbornly continued. (The road is dangerous.)

"What are they saying?" Merry asked.

"_Frodo naa quellien. Manka amin tura tara í duin, í val én quessiramin varava ho,"_ Arwen told Aragorn. (Frodo is dying. If I can cross the river, the power of my people will protect him.) The man still appeared reluctant, and she said, "I do not fear them." He placed his hand over her's and squeezed it.

"_Lasten á iestle," _ he told her. (According to your wish.)

Arwen smiled at him, then mounted behind Frodo.

"Arwen," Aragorn said. She looked at him. "Ride hard. Don't look back." She nodded.

"_Noro lim, Asfaloth, noro lim!"_ she cried to her mount, and they were gone. (Ride fast, Asfaloth, ride fast!)

Aragorn looked after her for a moment, then turned to the hobbits. "Come on. We must hurry to Rivendell."


	4. Chapter 3: Prince Legolas Thranduilion

Place: Rivendell

* * *

Frodo felt like he was coming to the surface of a deep, dark pool. The pool felt nice, warm and comfortable. Eyes still closed, he wondered aloud, "Where am I?"

"You are in the house of Elrond, and it is 10:00 in the morning on October the 24th, if you want to know," said a familiar voice.

Frodo's eyes opened, and he turned his head. "Gandalf."

"Yes, I'm here." The wizard smoked on his pipe for a moment, then continued, "And you are lucky to be here, too." Frodo's hand went to his shoulder. "A few more hours, and you would have been beyond our aid. But you have some strength in you, my dear hobbit."

Frodo sat up slowly, wincing as his shoulder twinged painfully. He recalled the Great Watchtower and the Black Riders. Falling, losing his sword. Putting on the Ring. The knife in his shoulder. Then another memory, from Bree, came to his mind.

"What happened, Gandalf? Why didn't you meet us?"

"Oh, I am sorry, Frodo," Gandalf said. There was a moment's pause, and Frodo looked at Gandalf, brow furrowed. Then the wizard continued, "I was delayed."

This made Frodo think of his conversation with Eleniel on the road to Bree, and then his companions.

"Is Sam okay? And Merry and Pippin? And Strider and Eleniel!"

Gandalf chuckled again. "Your fellow hobbits are fine, though quite worried about you. Strider, more properly called Aragorn, is also quite well. Eleniel, though..." He sighed, and Frodo's heart turned to ice.

"Is she—?" He couldn't say it.

"No, she's not dead. She's far from well, though. Though you were brought here with only a few hours left, she had just minutes by the time they got her here. Elrond healed her, of course, and she'll live, but she likely won't be awake for a while yet."

"Can I see her?" Frodo asked. He had a feeling it was his fault Eleniel was hurt. She seemed like the type of person-or elf-to try to help other people, so she'd probably gotten hurt when trying to heal him.

"Y—"

"Mister Frodo! You're awake!" Sam burst into the room. Frodo grinned.

Gandalf smiled at the two hobbits. "Sam, Frodo wishes to see Eleniel. Would you mind accompanying him?"

"No, not at all, sir!" Sam replied.

"Go on, then, Frodo."

Frodo clambered out of bed. Sam steadied him as he stood shakily.

"Funny, I didn't think my legs were injured," Frodo joked. Laughing, Sam led him out of the room and down the hall. They stopped at an open doorway. Looking in, they saw a tall elf with long, white blond hair. He wore a light gray cloak, split up the middle for a quiver that lay on the floor by a bow. The elf was gently stroking Eleniel's hair as she lay on the bed, unconscious and pale.

"Who's there?" The elf asked without turning. Frodo swallowed.

"Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee," he answered.

The elf turned. His eyes were blue, and beneath the cloak, he was wearing brown and green. "You're the Ring-bearer," he said. Frodo nodded. The blond elf smiled tiredly at both. "You can come in. I'm not going to bite."

Frodo approached Eleniel's bed, Sam beside him. He thought she looked quite ill.

"She got hurt trying to help me, didn't she?" He asked quietly.

"Yes," Sam said softly, "but you shouldn't blame yourself for her gettin' hurt, Mr. Frodo."

"It's happened many times before," the elf added. "It's just never so severe, besides one time, although that's mainly due to it being a Morgul blade that wounded her." He sighed. "I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood." Frodo's eyes widened, and Legolas quickly said, "There's no need to be formal, though."

Frodo nodded and looked at Eleniel. "She looks half dead," he whispered softly.

"She _was_ half dead," Legolas said, choking on the last word.

Frodo glanced at the elf. A sudden thought struck him, and he headed towards the door, dragging Sam, as he said, "Well, it was nice meeting you, Legolas." He looked back at the elf-maiden. "Get well soon, Eleniel." Then he was gone, pulling Sam behind him.

* * *

_So that's the Ring-bearer,_ Legolas mused. _He seems very small._ A grim chuckle came out at that thought. Even the smallest thing could make a difference.

He looked at Eleniel, sweeping his hair out of his face. _"Aiya, melamin,"_ he sighed. (Oh, my love.) _"Ta thia ve coi mela nin lye."_ (It seems like life loves to test us.)

"_Aeye,"_ a voice said. (Indeed.) Legolas turned to see Elrond entering the room. Even as his face paled in fear that this would reach his father, his cheeks blushed at being overheard.

Elrond smiled at him kindly. _"Uuma delo, Legolas. Amin n'nyarava atarle. Amin sinta nauthielye nia lle ár Eleniel."_ (Don't worry, Legolas. I won't tell your father. I know his views on you and Eleniel.)

"_Diola lle, herdir,"_ Legolas said quietly. (Thank you, sir.) He sat back down. _"Amin intya lle tula sequa he."_ (I assume you came to check on her.)

"_Mae,"_ Elrond said. (Yes.) His well-practiced hands moved over Eleniel, checking on her healing. Eventually, he stopped. _"Legolas."_ (Legolas.)

The prince looked up.

"_Uuma __delo nia he. Re nauva tereva."_ (Don't worry about her. She will be fine.)

"_Enga tén í haeray én í handa, amin inta,"_ the younger elf muttered. (Except for the side effects of the blade, I suppose.)

"_Eithel, mae. Enga tén tanya."_ (Well, yes. Except for that.) Elrond smiled and left.

Legolas sat forward in his chair, leaning on his knees as he stroked Eleniel's hair. _"Ele eleamin tinta aú,"_ he whispered. (To see your eyes sparkle again.) _"Ele ankalimasesamin yal ner."_ (To see your radiant smile once more.) He gazed at the pale elf-maiden. _"Aiya, mela."_ (Oh, love.)


	5. Chapter 4: Awakening

Place: Rivendell

* * *

Eleniel was stuck.

She wanted to get up, to find the owner of the voice she heard, the owner she could not see because of the darkness. She wanted find some light and see him, just as she had some sixty years before.

"_Eleniel, melamin?"_ (Eleniel, my love?)

She struggled, but her body felt so heavy.

"_Shhh, mela, lle naa sál sailodo."_ (Shhh, love, you are still very weak.) Obediently, she stopped trying to move.

A wet cloth brushed her eyelids, and she slowly opened them.

The face she'd longed for was there.

"_Legolas..."_ she whispered. (Legolas...) She attempted to sit up. To her immense satisfaction, she could move now. Yet part way up...

"Ah!" She gritted her teeth against the sudden pain in her side, while that. Legolas whispered comfort to her as he helped her lay back again. The pain passed, and she opened her eyes again, gazing at the prince wearily.

"_Mani marte? Amin uuma rina,"_ she said. (What happened? I don't remember.)

_"Í Názgul cronhe í periannath nó Guartellmello. Í cora eithe Frodo é í rooma yassen morgulsikil, ár lle nae Frodo ir lle ge harn yassen Morgul handa, ná,"_ Legolas told her. (The Názgul attacked the halflings on Weathertop. The leader stabbed Frodo in the shoulder with a Morgul knife, and you were trying to reach him when you were wounded by a Morgul blade, too.)

"_Aiya...aú?"_ (Oh...again?)

He smiled as his fingers brushed her face, her hair, her hands. His love for her felt almost tangible, and it made her feel better.

She struggled to sit up again, this time taking care not to bend too much in the middle. _"Naa ennas Nena?"_ She asked. (Is there going to be a Council?)

"_Mae, áre, manka lle naa eithel faarea. Avo osánlle naa, nau."_ (Yes, today, if you're well enough. I don't think you are, though.)

"_Amin nauva tir,"_ she panted, stumbling as she tried to stand up and nearly crumpling from the flare of pain in her side. (I'll be fine.)

Legolas caught her. _"Aiya, mae, lle nauva tir,"_ he grumbled, but he did not try to stop her; experience had taught him it was no use and would just tire her more. (Oh, yes, you'll be fine.)

After twenty long minutes, they made their way to the secret meeting that would decide the fate of the One Ring.

Elrond began the meeting. "Strangers from distant lands, friends of old, you have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle Earth stands on the brink of destruction None can escape it. You will unite, or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom. Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

The small, black-haired hobbit stepped forward, placing the golden, unadorned Ring on the round center pedestal. He then sat down again.

"So it is true," whispered a blond man. Eleniel disliked the look in his eye.

There was a whisper in her mind. The elf-maiden shuddered and leaned against Legolas. She could feel a small tremble pass through his body as the whisper entered his mind, too. Discomfort filled the room. Someone muttered, "The doom of Man."

The blond man stood and said, "In a dream, I saw the eastern sky grow dark, but in the West, a pale light lingered, and a voice was crying, "Doom is near at hand! Isildur's Bane is found!" He walked toward the Ring, his eyes fixed upon it. He whispered, "Isildur's Bane…" and reached for it.

Elrond stood, crying, "Boromir!"

Gandalf stood at the same moment, chanting in a deep, rumbling voice, _**"Ash nazg durbatulûk. Ash nazg gimbatul. Ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul."**_

As he spoke, the Counicil shuddered. Boromir startled and backed away. A red-headed dwarf gave a cry and grabbed his ax. As A shadow appeared to grow around the porch and Gandalf, Elrond pressed a hand to his head. Eleniel trembled against a shuddering Legolas, both with hands over their ears.

The chant ended. The shadow faded, and all relaxed. Elrond said, slightly shakily, "Never before has a voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris."

Gandalf replied, "I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond, for the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West. The Ring is altogether evil."

Boromir shook his head and said, "It is a gift." He stood up. "A gift to the foes of Mordor." Eleniel stared at him, unable to believe her ears. "Why not use this Ring? Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe." Aragorn moved in his seat as if to say, "No, that's we Rangers who do that." The Gondorian continued, "Give Gondor the weapon of the Enemy! Let us use it against him!"

Aragorn argued, "You cannot wield it! None of us can!" Boromir turned and stared at him. "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."

"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" The Gondorian warrior said spitefully.

Legolas leaped to his feet. "This is no mere Ranger." Boromir looked at him. "This is Aragorn, son of Arathorn."

"You owe him your allegiance," Eleniel added quietly.

Boromir stared at the Ranger. "Aragorn?" he said in surprise. "This is Isildur's heir?" Aragorn lifted his chin in defiance of the other man's tone.

"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Legolas told him.

Frodo stared at the heir of Isildur. Clearly, he had had no idea of his friend's ancestry. Aragorn said quietly, _"Hamo ndu, Legolas." _(Sit down, Legolas.)

Boromir stared at the elf. "Gondor has no king." He looked at Aragorn stubbornly as he sat down. "Gondor _needs_ no king."

Gandalf interrupted the two men's resultant staring match with, "Aragorn is right. We cannot use it."

"You have only one choice," Elrond added, standing up. "The Ring must be destroyed." Boromir gave an exasperated sigh and head shake. Eleniel noticed that Frodo seemed to be getting nervous. _I doubt the Ring appreciates us talking about destroying it,_ she thought, and chuckled softly.

"_Mani?"_ Legolas whispered to her. (What?)

"_Launát," _ she whispered back. (Nothing.)

Then, the red-headed dwarf growled, "Then what are we waiting for?" He got up and swung his ax at the Ring with a yell.

The ax exploded with a small shockwave that made all of them jump, and the dwarf was sent flying. Eleniel noticed Frodo flinch. She heard a faint, deep voice speaking in the Black Speech, and she shivered with sudden fear.

As the other dwarves helped the ax-swinging dwarf up, Elrond said, "The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess. The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast into the fiery chasm from whence it came." Frodo was shaking slightly, and Eleniel's brow furrowed in worry for the hobbit. "One of you must do this." There was silence. The wind blew through the leaves overhead, and birds chirped.

Then Boromir said shakily, "One does not simply walk into Mordor." There was fear in his eyes. "Its Black Gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep, and the Great Eye is ever-watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air you breath is a poisonous fume. Not with 10,000 men could you do this. It is folly."

Legolas stood suddenly. "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond just said?" he demanded. "The Ring must be destroyed."

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" Gimli the dwarf asked accusingly.

Standing, the Gondorian asked the elf, "And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"

Gimli stood and declared angrily, "I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf!"

"And you're any better?" Eleniel demanded, nettled, as other Council members jumped up and began to argue. "Halfway there, you would give up and try to cleave it in two with your ax again, then be weaponless in Mordor." The dwarf growled at her, and Legolas glared at him, warning him of yelling at the elf-maiden.

"Never trust an elf!" Gimli's yell rose up.

Gandalf shook his head and stood up, saying, "Do you not understand? While you bicker amonst yourselves, Sauron's power grows! None can escape it! You'll all be destroyed!

Eleniel stood back, trying to control her temper. She knew the truth in Gandalf's words, but the continual insults of the dwarves made it difficult.

All of a sudden, a small voice piped up. "I will take it!" She turned as the voice of Frodo said again, "I will take it!" Slowly, the Council fell silent as they all looked at the brave hobbit. "I will take the Ring to Mordor," he said once all was quiet, his voice loud in the silence. "Though…I do not know the way."

Gandalf, smiling, walked over to Frodo as he said, "I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear."

Aragorn followed. He told the hobbit, "If by my life or death I can protect you, I will." He knelt in front of him. "You have my sword." Gandalf winked at Elrond.

"And my bow," Legolas said, rising.

"And my axe," Gimli said gruffly, joining the group. Eleniel noticed thaqt Legolas looked less than pleased.

"And my healing." She, too, joined them, remembering her adopted mother's words long ago, ignoring Legolas' look. _We can talk later._

Boromir came up, too. "You bear the fate of us all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done."

"HEY!" Sam's voice came from the nearby bushes, causing Elrond to start, and the hobbit sprang out and stopped by Frodo. "Mr. Frodo's not goin' anywhere without me!"

"No, indeed," Elrond said, amused. "It is hardly possible to separate you, even when he is summoned to a secret Council and you are not." Sam blushed.

"Oy! We're coming, too!" And with that, Merry and Pippin rushed up, taking their place in the small group. Merry continued, "You'd have to tie us up in a sack to stop us!"

"Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission...quest...thing!" Pippin nodded.

"Well, that rules you out, Pip," Merry whispered.

"Ten companions..." Elrond said thoughtfully. "So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!"

"Great!" Pippin said. "...Where are we going?"

* * *

Eleniel was slowly packing for the journey when Legolas came to the room.

"_Eleniel,"_ he said softly. (Eleniel.)

"_Legolas, n'ala pedle, amin n'anann é sina Edankirya. Lle baurva amin,"_ she said without looking up. (Legolas, before you speak, I belong in this Fellowship. You'll need me.)

A corner of Legolas' mouth lifted briefly. _"Ár mankoi osánle tanya naa mani pedamin, mela?"_ (And why do you think that's what I was going to say, love?)

"_Tén amin sinte lle,"_ she responded. (Because I know you.) _"Lle naa nlavarna emli man—man...man amin mela sui lle naa..."_ (You're an overprotective prince who—who...who I love as you are...) She ended with a sigh. Tears began to gently run down her face, and her hands gripped the edge of the table she leaned against as if it was the only thing holding her up.

"_Shhh..."_ A gentle voice reached her ears as Legolas wrapped Eleniel in his arms. _"Shh...Ta nauva quel, melamin. Ta nauva quel."_ (Shh...Shh...It will be good, my love. It will be good.)

The elf-maiden buried her face in her beloved's chest as she cried softly. Finally, her tears slowed. _"Amin hiraetha, Legolas. Amin dela tén lema. Aiya, mani manka amin vanwa lle?"_ (I'm sorry, Legolas. I am worried about the journey. Oh, what if I lose you?)

Legolas gently stroked her back in comforting circles as he held her close. _"Uuma dela, melamin. Amin n'léneva lle. Amin ber."_ (Don't worry, my love. I will not leave you. I promise.)

_"Nán mani manka lle n'turtula n'laquel?"_ (What if you can't get home?)

"_Lye tuava ilye n'at auta eska, cormamin,"_ Legolas whispered. (We will help each other get home, my love.) He hugged her tightly for a moment, then said, _"Lle baur tela naa húrin, melan."_ (You need to be ready, love.)

Eleniel sighed and got up. _"Ilyeva amin?"_ (Will you help me?)

Legolas smiled. _"Ranto."_ (Of course.)


	6. Chapter 5: Journey

Place: Near the Pass of Caradhras

Eleniel sat on a rock with Frodo and Sam, watching Boromir teach Merry and Pippin swordfighting. She kept glancing out the corner of her eyes. _Is it just me, or is he looking...almost ill?_

She drew in a breath and asked the raven-haired hobbit, "How are you doing?"

He looked at her, startled, then said haltingly, "Fine."

"No, you're not," she chided. "You look like you're falling ill. It's the Ring, isn't it?" she asked softly. Frodo stared into the distance for a moment, then nodded stiffly.

"It will be okay. You'll see," she reassured him.

He didn't answer for a while. Then he said, "It feels...like it's getting heavier. More of a burden. And...I'm scared. I'm scared of what it will do to me."

Eleniel looked at him, astonished. She had not expected this. "Oh, Frodo," she murmured, hugging him with one arm. She paused, then asked, "Why are you scared of what it will do to you? I don't think any of us know how it will affect you completely."

"Uncle Bilbo," he said. "When I was in his room in Rivendell, he asked to see the Ring. When I said no..." He shuddered. "It was like he had turned into a monster. But it was only for a minute. When he realized what happened, he started crying. I've never seen him cry."

The elf-maiden sighed. _Whatever higher powers are out there, please help Frodo. Help him get through this._

Then Boromir accidentally hit Pippin. "Oh, sorry!" he said, but Pippin, holding his hand, kicked Boromir in the shin.

Merry then smacked the Gondorian's leg with his sword, and together the two hobbits pushed Boromir to the ground with a cry of "Get him!" The three of them began yelling and wrestling.

Pippin shouted, "For the Shire! Hold him! Hold him down, Merry!" while Aragorn sat laughing on a nearby rock.

Boromir then grabbed Merry's arm, and the hobbit cried, "He's got my arm!" and tried to escape the Gondorian's grip.

Sam's nearby voice interrupted the fun. "What's that?" Eleniel turned to see the stout hobbit looking towards a black cloud that glided across the sky like smoke.

"It's just a wisp of cloud," Gimli told Sam.

"It's moving fast," Boromir said worriedly as he got up, "and against the wind."

"Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas cried.

Aragorn yelled, "Hide!"

Sam and Boromir rushed to put the fire out; Frodo, Merry, and Pippin grabbed the packs. Everyone crawled beneath rocks or into thick bushes. Legolas and Eleniel crawled under a bush. They stared out between the branches as the crowlike crebain flew around the hill. Eventually, all fell silent, and the Fellowship cautiously come out of hiding.

"Spies of Saruman. The passage south is being watched," Gandalf announced when they were all together. "We must take the Pass of Caradhras." Eleniel and Legolas exchanged glances.

"Gandalf, the Pass of Caradhras is filled with snow at this time of year," the elf-maiden told him.

"It is the only way," Gandalf said.

"No, it isn't," Gimli growled. "What about the Mines of Moria?"

Eleniel thought she saw Gandalf pale slightly at this.

"Those are not safe, Gimli."

"Nonsense! My cousin Balin led a group of dwarves there to rebuild! It'll be fine!" The dwarf said.

"But what about Durin's Bane?" Legolas asked quietly.

"Well, they were fine last we heard," Gimli replied.

"When did you last hear from them?" Aragorn inquired.

"Er...six months ago, at least," the dwarf mumbled.

"Well, let us try the Pass," Gandalf decided. "If we are unable to get through, I suppose we shall have to try the mines."

Winds howled, and snow fell heavily on the weary travelers. Legolas ran forward, feet skipping lightly over the snow. Eleniel followed, carrying Frodo. The others struggled to forge a path in the waist-deep drifts. The elf-maiden turned to make sure everyone was together, and she frowned. "Where's Gimli?" Frodo voiced the question she was wondering. Eleniel walked along the trail their fellow companions were creating. Eventually, at the very end of the line, Gimli struggled to follow the trail, the snow reaching the top of his head.

"Do you need help, Gimli?" Eleniel asked with a smile.

"No!" Gimli replied gruffly. "I'm fine!" He forged ahead, panting from exertion. Eleniel rolled her eyes and scooped up the dwarf.

"Put me down!" He growled.

She ignored him, and, reaching Aragorn, asked him, "Can you take another passenger? I don't think he likes me much right now."

Aragorn looked up and grinned. "Sure." Eleniel handed him Gimli, and he went on.

Suddenly, a unearthly voice boomed in the elf-maiden's ears. She ran up to where Legolas was standing, listening. "There is a fell voice in the air!" the prince called to Gandalf.

"It's Saruman!" Eleniel realized, fearful.

A rumble split the air. Frodo yelped, and Eleniel looked up to see rocks falling towards them. "Gandalf! Look out!" Eleniel cried, and she grabbed the old wizard on her way to the rocky wall along the path.

Aragorn yelled out, "He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf, we must turn back!"

"No!" Gandalf shouted. The wizard climbed on top of a drift and began to chant, _"Kaimo, Caradhras, kailo sál', nao sál,kwaro ruthalle!"_ (Sleep, Caradhras, lie still, be still, hold your wrath!)

Saruman's voice chanted once more. _"Echuivo, nwalkaCaradhras! Aá agarwaenrasle lanta denó í gothdolea!"_ A crash of thunder rolled through the air as a bolt of lightning struck snow far above the travelers, causing the snow to thunder down on top of them, burying them deeply.

There was a long moment before Legolas burst out of the snow. He looked around frantically as Eleniel's hand poked out. He pushed through the snow to her and dug a hole for her.

"_Diola lle,"_ she thanked him. (Thank you.) She looked around as she realized Frodo wasn't with her. "Frodo!"

Frodo pushed away the snow on top of him, breathing hard. Nearby, Sam's hand waved as he made his way up, coughing, and Legolas went over to help him. Next Gimli appeared, followed by the rest. Boromir cried, "We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan, and take the West Road to my city!"

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn called over the storm.

Gimli suggested, "If we cannot go over the mountain, let us go under it! Let us go through the Mines of Moria." Eleniel glanced at Gandalf. Durin's Bane was a favorite of elf-children as a ghost story, and the elf-maiden was certain that the old wizard knew what the Bane was. She noticed that he looked almost nervous at the dwarf's suggestion.

"Let the Ringbearer decide," Gandalf said. Frodo looked up, then looked at Sam, who shrugged slightly as if to say, "Your decision."

Boromir yelled, "We cannot stay here! This will be the death of the hobbits!"

Gandalf asked, "Frodo?"

Frodo looked at him, then said, "We will go through the mines."

"So be it," Gandalf murmured, almost to himself, sounding resigned.


	7. The Mines of Moria

Place: The Mines of Moria

Halfway to the Gate of Moria, the Fellowship camped, unable to go further after their fight against Caradhras. They made no fire as they camped on a small hil, crowned with a knot of old and twisted trees around which lay a broken circle of small boulders.

"I cannot wait to see Balin again," Gimli said happily as he sat on a log. "It will be a pleasure, feasting in his hall. He always had a great knack for choosing good mead."

"We are not going there to get drunk, Gimli," Eleniel admonished with a smile.

"I have a good head for liquor, maiden," the dwarf replied with a touch of frost. "I will not get drunk."

Boromir overheard and said to him, "When next we have a chance, I should like to see you go up against Legolas in a drinking game, to see if you are as good as you say." Legolas looked at him.

"Me? Why me?" he asked, an eyebrow raised.

Giggling, Eleniel leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Elves have an extremely good head for human liquor, due to elf-mead being much stronger." Then she added, "Do you not drink mead?"

"I do. I just do not try to test my limits," he said, smiling at the thought of how the game would result.

"Are you afraid to challenge me, man of Gondor?" Gimli asked.

"Nay. I simply think you would find the elf a better opponent."

Gimli nodded, grinning, and turned to Legolas. "Well, sir elf? Do you accept?"

"Certainly. I look forward to the contest."

Frodo was nearby, and Eleniel leaned towards him. "Well, little Ringbearer, what do think of this contest Boromir has set up for Gimli and Legolas?"

"After Bilbo's stories of his journey, I doubt it will be a loss for Legolas," Frodo said, chuckling. Eleniel laughed, then, becoming serious, asked him, "How is the Ring right now?"

The hobbit sighed. "Still a burden, but the friendship of you all helps me bear it." He shivered, muttering, "How the wind howls!" Slowly, the Fellowship grew silent as the wind hissed among the rocks and trees and howled and wailed in the empty spaces of the night.

Suddenly, Aragorn jumped up. "How the wind howls! It is howling with wolf voices! The Wargs have come west of the mountains!"

"Light a fire!" Gandalf cried. "There is no hope that darkness and silence will keep our trail from discovery by the hunting packs. Stay alert! Quickly, now!"

As they gathered wood, Eleniel heard Pippin mutter to Sam, "I wish I had not come. I am no good after all. There is not enough of the breed of Bandobras the Bullroarer in me: these howls freeze my blood. I don't ever remember feeling so wretched."

"My heart's right down in my toes, Pippin," Sam told him. "But we aren't eaten yet, and there're some stout folk among us. Whatever may be in store for old Gandalf, I'll wager it isn't a wolf's belly.

Hastily, the group kindled a fire in the center of the clearing and sat around it. Those not on guard dozed or slept uneasily, and the poor hobbits startled awake frequently as the howling of the wolves came closer, then grew farther away once more. Sam in particular was restless, often going to Bill, the pack pony, to sooth him as he trembled and sweated.

The moon reached its highest point in the sky, and shining eyes appeared around them. Some advanced quite close to the ring of stones. One huge wolf shape could be seen in a gap, gazing at them. He let out a shuddering howl that made all think of a great captain, calling his troops to the assault of an enemy.

Gandalf stood and strode forward, holding his staff aloft and crying, "Listen, Hound of Sauron! Gandalf is here! Fly, if you value your foul skin! I will shrivel you from tail to snout, if you come within this ring."

The Warg snarled contemptuously and sprang with a great leap. Sam hung to Bill's rope as the pony reared in terror. Then there was the sharp _twang_ of Legolas' bow, and his elf-arrow plunged into the attacking animal. It thudded to the ground, arrow in its throat. The eyes around them faded, and no cry came on the sighing wind.

The moon was setting and the fire fading when those sleeping startled awake to a storm of howls, fierce and wild, broke out all around. It seemed that all the hunting packs near them had joined together, gathering silently and now attacking them from every side.

A Warg flew through the air towards Eleniel. She attempted to roll out of the way, but her blanket tangled around her. Then the vicious creature fell to the ground with a gurgling snarl. Scrambling up as she drew her knives, she noticed the arrow at its heart. Looking at Legolas, he nodded to her. She smiled and leapt beside him, stabbing a wolf that had attempted to attack Legolas with several packmates.

"Fling fuel on the fire! Draw your blades, and stand back to back!" she heard Gandalf cry to the hobbits. The fresh wood blazed up, revealing Aragorn as he thrust his sword through the throat of a huge leader, Boromir, hewing the head off another Warg with a huge sweep of his sword, Gimli who stood with his legs apart, chopping an attacker's neck with his dwarf ax. Legolas' bow sang over and over, while the knives of Eleniel and the hobbits flashed.

In the wavering firelight, Gandalf seemed to grow suddenly: he rose up, a great menancing shape. He lifted a burning branch and strode forward, the wolves giving back before him. He tossed the fiery stick high in the air. It flared with a sudden white radiance like lightning, and his voice rolled like thunder. _"Naur an edraith ammen! Naur dan í ngaurhoth!"_ (Fire long saving us! Fire against the Warg hordes!) There was a roar and a crackle as the tree above him burst into a leaf and bloom of blinding flame. The fire leapt from treetop to treetop until the whole hill was crowned with dazzling light. Swords and knives flickered, and Legolas' last arrow kindled as it flew so that it plunged burning into the heart of a great wolf-chieftain creeping up on Eleniel. The surviving Wargs fled.

Slowly the fire died until only falling ash and sparks were left. A bitter smoke curled above the burned stumps and blew darkly from the hill as the first light of dawn dimly appeared in the sky. Their enemies were defeated, not to return.

"What did I tell you, Pippin?" Sam said, a bit cheerfully, as he sheathed his blade. "Wolves won't get him. That was an eye-opener, and no mistake! Nearly singed the hair off my head!"

When morning had dawned fully, no signs of the Wargs were to be found; even the bodies had vanished. The only traces of the fight were the burned trees and the elf-arrows, all of which were undamaged save Legolas' last shot, which had burned. The Fellowship ate quickly and continued towards the Gate of Moria.

The moon had risen and night had fallen when they reached a large, sheltered gap in the rocks. A dark lake spread across most of the space, but a path, as if an ancient walkway, curved along the edge partway, ending not far past two trees that grew close to the rocky cliff. They looked almost like they grew over an entrance to a secret place.

As they entered the gap, Gimli stopped in awe, saying, "The walls of Moria!" He was ushered onward.

They walked along the path towards the trees. Eleniel felt uneasy; there seemed a dark and dangerous presence in the water that she did not like. She noticed that Frodo appeared to feel it as well; when he once slipped and his foot touched the water, he gave gasp and hurriedly pulled it out, looking out over the lake nervously.

Gandalf stopped between the trees and started running a hand over the rock, muttering, as the others clustered around him. Legolas stood on a high tree root, alert as he watched.

"_Ithilden_," Gandalf whispered, tracing some curved grooves. "It mirrors only starlight and moonlight." As he said this, he looked at the sky. Almost as if on cue, a dark cloud withdrew from over the moon, and the carvings Gandalf had followed began to glow, forming a doorway. A tree, bearing crescent moons, with two branches curled around a column formed each side of the door; the trees were connected at the bottom and were inbetween the columns. An arch atop the column had words carved on it. Just under the arch, a crown with three stars on each side of it and one on top was above a hammer and anvil together. Between the trees, there was a four-pointed star with many rays.

"There are the emblems of Durin!" cried Gimli, pointing to the hammer and anvil.

"And there are the Trees of the High Elves!" Legolas exclaimed.

"And the Star of the House of Fëanor," whispered Eleniel. She stared at the words in the arch.

"What did she say?" Pippin asked.

Gandalf translated, "The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria: speak, friend, and enter. I, Narvi, made them: Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs." Eleniel frowned slightly.

"Well, what do you suppose _that_ means?" Merry wondered.

"It's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password, and the doors will open." He placed the top of his staff against the star, and said in a commanding voice, _"Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen! Fennas nogothrim, lasto beth lammen!"_ Nothing happened. Gandalf pressed against the doors and tried pushing them in. Nothing. The wizard began to try various spells while the other members of the group spread out around the doors.

Eleniel perched in one of the trees beside the doors, gazing at the water.

"_Dele, melamin?"_ (Worried, my love?) The elf-maiden smiled as she looked over at Legolas, who had climbed the other tree.

"_Mae. Amin tyava í fea én qua, antha ár gasta. Amin n'vea ta," _she replied. (Yes. I

"_Amin tyava ta veé eithel. Amin anira amin sinte mani ta naa," _Legolas said, frowning.

Suddenly, there was a splash. Both elves jerked around to see Merry and Pippin tossing stones into the lake. Legolas started to jump down as Pippin began to throw another stone, but Aragorn caught the hobbit's arm.

"Do not disturb the water," Aragorn said quietly. He looked out at the water as if waiting for something to come out, but nothing did.

"It is useless," Gandalf said suddenly with a sigh. He plopped down on a removed his hat.

"Gandalf, perhaps it does not mean 'speak, friend, and enter'. Might it mean 'speak "friend" and enter'?" Eleniel suggested, sounding slightly reluctant.

"There is nothing to signify that, Eleniel," Gandalf responded.

"But there is, though _you_ cannot see. There are two small marks on either side of the word friend, as if there were originally _ithilden_ there and someone gouged it out. Very carefully, I might add, so that only an elf would be able to see it. Of course, elves never come here; they would not wish to travel through such a place."

Gandalf looked at the door thoughtfully for a moment, then shook his head. "No. Though I do not doubt that the marks are there, why would someone remove the _ithilden_? I think it more likely that these marks you see are simply there from weather and nature."

Eleniel looked doubtful but did not argue. Then Frodo suddenly asked, "Eleniel, what's the Elvish word for friend?"

Surprised but inwardly smiling, she answered, _"Mellon."_ (A/N: I would translate that, but I don't think you need it considering the context.)

There was a creaking sound, and the doors opened. The elves jumped from their trees and joined their companions as they entered.

"Soon, Master and Mistress Elves, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the dwarves," Gimli announced, passing through the door. Legolas scowled.

"_Mani?"_ Eleniel asked him quietly. (What?)

"_Ro naa erkien amin nia i'obleten en atarho ar' i'naugrim ya lelye yassen Bilbo imya Moritaur. Ta n'nae sainostale, nan' i'rashwe im Tel'Naugrim ar' Tel'Quessir nae onoe a'e'atarmin ten' en' Smaug. Ro nowa ta nae ten' en' Tel'Naugrim tanya i'lo'ce sane i'Ereborod,"_ Legolas muttered. (He is prodding me about the imprisonment of his father and the dwarves when they traveled with Bilbo through Mirkwood. It was not very kind, but the trouble between the Dwarves and the Elves was added to in my father'because of Smaug. He thinks that it was because of the Dwarves that the dragon took the Lonely Mountain.)

"_Aiya," _Eleniel mumbled. (Oh.)

Meanwhile, Gimli was continuing. "Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone." Gandalf lit a light just as Gimli was saying, "This, my friend, is the home of my cousin Balin. And they call it a mine. A mine!"

Boromir looked around, seeing the bodies revealed by Gandalf's staff. "This is no mine. It's a tomb."

Gimli gasped. "No. No!" He knelt beside a fallen dwarf's bones and cried, "Nooo!"

Legolas bent and pulled out an arrow, examining it. "Goblins," he spat and tossed it away. Aragorn and Boromir drew their swords, and the elves drew their knives.

"We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here," the Gondorian muttered. Eleniel noticed the four hobbits backing up towards the door. "Now get out of here! Get out!" Boromir shouted.

Suddenly Eleniel's sixth sense let out a warning just as Frodo let out a small cry. She turned to see him sliding on his back towards the water, a tentacle around his ankle. The hobbits cried his name and started trying to catch him. Sam yelled, "Strider!" and the man turned around. The blond gardener chopped at the tentacle as he shouted at its owner, "Get off of him! Strider! Aragorn!"

The injured tentacle vanished into the water. Then ten burst out, smacking away the hobbits and grabbing Frodo once more. Frodo yelled in fear as he was dragged into the air. The hobbits were yelling his name; it was madness. Legolas shot an arrow at the beast as Frodo cried, "Strider!" The black-haired warrior waded into the water with Boromir and Eleniel, all three chopping at attacking tentacles. Then the body of the creature surfaced, a massive, dark grey thing with two eyes on top. A section of the top split apart to reveal a horrific mouth with several teeth. Frodo yelled even louder.

The creature roared as Boromir gave a shout and chopped off a tentacle. Frodo was dropped, landing in Eleniel's arms. Gandalf yelled to them, "Into the mines!" Aragorn, Eleniel, and Boromir ran towards the door.

Boromir shouted, "Legolas! Into the cave!" Instead the elf shot the thing behind them again, giving them a chance to get out of the water.

"Run!" Aragorn ushered the other three hobbits through the doors as they all ran from their attacker. They could not stop as they went in, though, for the tentacles began destroying the rock behind them. Finally, they stopped, watching as the rocks fell and everything went black.

For a moment, nothing could be heard but the travelers' labored breathing. Then, as he lit his staff, Gandalf said, "We now have but one choice. We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world." He went to the front of the group and led them into the darkness.

"Quietly now," Eleniel cautioned the group. "It is a four day journey to the other side, according to Gandalf's stories. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed."

All rock and no plants. Many skeletons. Overwhelming darkness. Something following them, unseen. These were Eleniel's impressions of Moria. Three days had passed, and they were climbing some extremely steep stairs. The elf-maiden climbed next to the hobbits, knowing that while it would be no problem for the dwarf, despite his stature—after all, the stairs were made by dwarves—but the hobbits struggled. Once, Pippin slipped behind Eleniel, but Merry caught him. "Pippin!" he scolded, then pushed his friend on. Finally, they reached the top. Three passages led from it.

Gandalf looked at each one, then muttered, "I have no memory of this place."

They soon had made a camp. Aragorn sat by the fire with Boromir, smoking his pipe. Gandalf sat on a large ston in the center, staring at the three passages. Below, Pippin asked Merry, "Are we lost?"

"No."

"I think we are."

"Shh. Gandalf's thinking."

"Merry?"

"What?"

"I'm hungry."

Eleniel laughed quietly as she listened. _"Ro naa ilyadea varalie." _(He is always hungry.)

"_Mani?"_ Legolas asked, confused, as he sat down next to her. (What?)

"_Aiya, faila Pippin," _she told him. (Oh, just Pippin.)

"_Ai,"_ he said, _"ro ocaen uma einanat'ea."_ (Ah, he often does funny things.)

"_Mae, ro uma." (Yes, he does.)_

They sat in silence for a moment, taking comfort in just being with each other. Then, Eleniel turned around at a noise down below. Looking down, she saw something move quickly out of sight. She sighed and straightened, then noticed Frodo had apparently seen the creature, too, for he told Gandalf, "There's something down there."

"It's Gollum," the old man replied.

Gollum? Why is that familiar? Eleniel thought.

"Gollum?" Frodo asked.

"He's been following us for three days," Gandalf said, not looking away from the tunnels.

"He escaped the dungeons of Barad-Dûr?"

At this, the wizard turned his head. "Escaped…or set loose?" Frodo looked over his shoulder. Eleniel glanced around and spotted a creature, something like what she had spotted below, looking through a gap in the rock, far off. Gandalf continued, "He hates and loves the Ring, as he hates and loves himself. He will never be rid of his need for it."

"It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance," Frodo said rather savagely.

"Pity?" Gandalf queried. "It was Pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death, and some that die deserve life. Can _you_ give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death and judgement. Even the very wise c "Noannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before this is over." There was a faint _gollum_ from far below. Eleniel felt Legolas stiffen as the sound reached his ears, and she resolved to ask him about his reaction later. "The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many," Gandalf finished.

Frodo sat next to the old man. "I wish the Ring had never come to me," he said. "I wish none of this had happened."

Eleniel got up and walked over to kneel next to the little hobbit. "So do all who live to see such times," she told him, "but that is not for them to decide. All that we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil."

Gandalf added, "Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, in which case, you were also _meant_ to have it."

"And that is an encouraging thought," Eleniel said softly.

All of sudden, Gandalf sniffed the air, looking almost like a dog, then said, "Oh! It's that way!" He nodded towards the rightmost tunnel.

Everyone looked round. "He's remembered!" said Merry as he got up.

"No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down here." He bent down to Merry at the entrance to the passage and confided, "When in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose."

They made their way down the steps into a large, dark space. Eleniel peered into the darkness without result. Gandalf muttered, "Let me risk a little more light." His staff glowed brighter for a moment to reveal great stone columns holding up the ceiling of a huge hall. "Behold the great realm and Dwarf-City of Dwarrowdelf."

Sam mumbled, "There's an eye opener, and no mistake."

Suddenly, as they passed a doorway, Gimli gasped and ran towards. Gandalf called to him, but he gave no answer. "No. No!" The dwarf said quietly, staring at the stone in the center of the room. He fell to his knees, sobbing and crying, "No…no!"

"Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria," Gandalf said, translating the dwarf-runes on the stone. "It is as I feared, then. He is dead." Gandalf looked down, spotting a large book in a dwarf-skeleton's arms.

Pages and dirt fell out as the wizard lifted and opened the book.

Legolas whispered to Aragorn, "We must move on. We cannot linger.

Gandalf began to read. "They have taken the bridge and the second hall. We have barred the gates but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums, drums in the deep." He glanced up and turned the page, then continued. "We cannot get out. A Shadow moves in the dark."

"We cannot get out. They are coming."

_Scritch. Bang! Crash! Clang!_ There was a small scratching sound, and then it sounded like a thousand Oliphaunts were taking out some forges.. The Fellowship whirled around to see Pippin, standing next to a well. A headless dwarf-skeleton began falling backward into the well. _Crash! Ka-bam!_ The chain next to quickly uncoiled, then pulled the well's bucket in. _Crash!_ Poor Pippin winced at each new bang. The tools of dwarves, far below, began to reverberate with the echoes emanating from the well.. When it finally ended, there was silence.

Gandalf slammed the book shut. "Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" he admonished the hobbit as he grabbed his hat and staff back. Some silence, then—


	8. Fight In A Tomb

Place: The Mines of Moria

_Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom._ Slowly Gandalf turned around. Both he and Pippin stared at thewell. The rumbling got louder, forming rhythms, and they began to hear the calls of other creatures.

"Mr. Frodo," Sam said. Frodo had partly unsheathed his blade—an elven blade, Eleniel realized, as it shone blue.

"Orcs," she spat.

Boromir rushed to the door. He looked out, and suddenly—_fiew, fiew_—two arrows embedded themselves by his face in the door. He jerked back

Aragorn yelled to the hobbits, "Get back! Stay close to Gandalf!"

There was a loud roar as the two men closed the doors. In a slightly shocked voice, Boromir leaned against the doors as he said, "They have a cave troll."

Legolas and Eleniel began tossing dwarvish weapons to Aragorn and Boromir, who placed them against the door to prevent them opening.

Gandalf unsheathed Glamdring, his sword, with a cry. "Yaah!" The hobbits did the same.

Legolas and Aragorn pointed their bows at the door while Eleniel and Boromir stood with their blades ready. Gimli stood behind on Balin's tomb, crying, "Let them come! There is still one dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!"

The Orcs banged on the door. One hacked a hole in the wood, and Legolas let his arrow fly. It hit the Orc, which let out a shrill shriek. Aragorn shot another hole, resulting in another shriek. Quick as a flash, Legolas nocked another arrow to the string, but now the doors fell and the Orcs spilled in.

Legolas loosed arrow after arrow. Aragorn hacked and spun. Boromir smashed with his shield and slashed with his sword. Gimli let out a battle cry and jumped into a foe, while Gandalf and the hobbits shouted and rushed forward to meet the enemy. Eleniel's blades danced, crossing against an Orc's blade here, pushing aside a thrust there to let the Orc run onto her other knife.

Then there was a growl, and the defenders paused as the cave troll entered.

Legolas defiantly shot an arrow into the beast's shoulder. It roared at him. Eleniel darted from behind the monster and jabbed it in the back of the knee. The troll swung its hammer at Sam, who gave a yell and rolled under it. Gimli threw an ax, hitting it in the chest, and he narrowly avoided the hammer that smashed down onto Balin's tomb.

_Well, I guess Balin's not resting in peace, now. More like resting in pieces,_ Eleniel thought, trying to drive away her fear as Gimli ducked, allowing the troll's hammer to swing over the dwarf and instead hit attacking Orcs. Just as the troll was about to swing his hammer onto the overturned Gimli, Legolas shot two arrows at it. It stumbed back in pain. Gandalf yelled at his enemies. Legolas stabbed an Orc behind him, then quickly turned the blade and stabbed another Orc in the face.

The troll swung his chain at the elf, who ducked. Another swing and duck. Eleniel, distracted, stumbled as white-hot pain coursed down her thigh. She quickly stabbed her injurer. She drove back her attackers then looked at Legolas again, who was dodging the chain once more, stumbling back from the flying debris. Eleniel's sharp eyes noticed a slight trickle of blood on his forehead before the elf-maiden was forced to return her attention to the Orcs. Her knives flashed; a head fell down before her, followed by its body.

She chanced another glance. The chain had wrapped around a column, and Legolas secured it with his foot, then ran up it. He shot an arrow directly into the troll's skull and jumped off as the monster broke free of its chain.

There was a _clang_, and Eleniel turned in surprise to see Sam wielding his frying pan. He had knocked out an Orc about to stab her in the back. He looked at Eleniel and said, "I think I'm gettin' the hang o' this!"

There was a cry, and Eleniel saw the other three hobbits clustered together with the cave troll aiming his hammer at them. She ran forward, stabbing it once more, which gave the three hobbits time to dodge. Yet Merry and Pippin were now separated from Frodo by a large gap.

Aragorn yelled, "Frodo!" and stabbed an enemy.

The Ringbearer desperately tried to evade the troll, playing hide and seek as he scooted around the column. Then, as he leaned against the stone, thinking it was gone, it poked its head around the column and roared. He gave a cry and stumbled away from it, falling in a corner. Aragorn fought to get to the hobbit as Frodo scooted away from the troll, backing himself into the corner.

The troll grabbed Frodo. The hobbit mumbled, "Oh, no," then started yelling, "Aragorn! Eleniel!" Both rushed towards him, but Eleniel was stopped when a gang of orcs jumped at her.

The troll was about to crush Frodo when he slashed the troll's hand. It dropped him and he fell from the ledge. The troll came ominously towards him, but Aragorn lept in front of the fallen hobbit.

The man stabbed the troll with a spear when it reached up, about to smash him. Merry and Pippin threw stones.

Then the troll backhanded Aragorn, who flew away and hit a wall, slumping to the ground, unconscious. Frodo rushed to him as the troll pulled the spear out. Turning, the hobbit ducked just as the troll thrust the spear. Frodo tried to get away but was blocked by the spear and fell back into the corner. He was unable to move as the spear was thrust into his body.

He gasped. Eleniel cried out for her friend while Gandalf turned around and the other hobbits gaped in horror.

Merry and Pippin brandished their swords and jumped onto the troll, stabbing and hacking. Sam yelled, "Frodo! FRODO!" The hobbit was struggling to breath; Eleniel figured a lung was probably punctured, considering his struggle. The loyal Sam swung his pan, trying to get to his friend.

The Fellowship hacked and smacked. Their fallen friend fell forward, the spear moving in front of him. The elf-maiden winced. That would cause damage nigh unfixable for any but the elves. They would have to hurry to Lothlórien.

The troll grabbed Merry off his back. Boromir and Gimli tried to aid the hobbit, but instead they were smacked away as Merry fell to the ground. Eleniel tried to run to Frodo, but she tripped, fell, and failed to get back up as Legolas shot the cave troll, finally killing it. But at what cost?


End file.
